Ho Chi Minh City - General Info

[Despicable Me]

Sorry, but this info is actually out of date. There is indeed a separate international terminal at the airport now. Regarding the rest of your post, you're absolutely correct that Mai Linh and Vinasun are the companies to use.

I know of another reputable company. It is called Vinataxi. It is bright yellow in color. When boarding a taxi, always check that the driver is in proper uniform. Usually a white short sleeve shirt plus a tie. Once entering the taxi, ask 'meter? ', although the meter can be ripped. Best is to wave down a taxi that is just passing by on the road, instead of getting on a taxi that is parked by the roadside waiting for its next victim. The scam artists usually have taxi designed very closely to the real ones. Check online for pictures of the taxis of these legitimate companies. Usually they play around with the logo or the telephone numbers.

[Wendella]

I haven't been to the international terminal for several years. It should be the same as the domestic terminal.

Sorry, but this info is actually out of date. There is indeed a separate international terminal at the airport now. Regarding the rest of your post, you're absolutely correct that Mai Linh and Vinasun are the companies to use. There's actually one more legit company out there now, the name escapes me at the moment but it has "airport" in its name, if I remember correctly (help here anyone?). That one is also legit and will use the meter and not add on any bogus fees. Beware of the rest. The ripoff is not slight, it can be quite damaging. I had people come in and get taken by an unscrupulous taxi driver, and were charged $50 US in total to get to District 5. This is a ride that would cost under $10 total in one of the reputable taxis. This happened a couple years ago so it is possible that they have clamped down on this kind of thing, but from the details in your report it sounded like you were referring to the old setup before the international terminal was finished. With that terminal came a much more ruthless breed of taxi mafia. Better to be on the safe side and take one of the good taxis, and make sure they use the meter. From what I've been told, the ripoff artists will not even use the meter, but will just tell you the price when they arrive at your destination. They also have a scam set up with someone at the ticket booth exiting the airport where another unexpected fee of $10 or $15 is added to your bill for some ticket that you supposedly must pay. Not true. Passengers and taxis are not required to pay any fee to exit the airport. This is a totally bogus charge.

[DirtyOldMan]

There are no "dancing sessions" in the Rex Hotel at weekends. There are NO "sophisticated" girls in Vietnam.

JD

Thank you for the information about the Rex Hotel. For the "sophisticated" girls, I stay with my opinion; although not native english speaker, may I remind you that "sophisticated", in English, just means relative to taste, to life style, appearance.

[Digits]

Hi, First of all, if you had really read the VN Forum thoroughly you would not have these questions.

Secondly, BJ bars are not straightforward and NOTHING in VN is similar to BKK. If you make the mistake of thinking anything in VN is similar to BKK you will lose your money, your time and probably your patience.

Thirdly, Hot Tocs are haircut places but the real purpose of the ones people are writing about here is BJ. Not all Hot Toc offer BJ though. Read here for addresses. 'Om' means hug in Vietnamese so 'Cafe Om' is hugging cafes, sometimes HJ or BJ or both, sometimes not. Korean Barbershops are brothels masquerading as barbershops often visited by Koreans and found where many Koreans live and work such as Phu My Hung in D7 and in Tan Binh District near the airport. Anyone except for Vietnamese can go there.

Have fun, don't make the mistake I referred to above.

JD

Very helpful Johndao! Thanks.

[Johndao]

Hi.

I have been in BKK for a couple of moths now, and later this month, I will be heading to HMC for a week. I am very familiar with the BKK scene, but this will be my first time in HMC.

So I have "RTFF" going back a few months, including Wendella's reports which I have found very informative. However, I have come across many abbreviations and references which I am not 100% sure about: BJ Bars are straight forward and I expect not dissimilar to BKK's. Others I have only tried to deduce what they are, such as OM cafes, Hot Toks, Korean barbershops, etc. Is there a post somewhere in the Vietnam forum that someone could point me to which describes these? Otherwise, could someone (when they have nothing better to do) provide some description of these establishments and what one should expect there?

Digits

Hi, First of all, if you had really read the VN Forum thoroughly you would not have these questions.

Secondly, BJ bars are not straightforward and NOTHING in VN is similar to BKK. If you make the mistake of thinking anything in VN is similar to BKK you will lose your money, your time and probably your patience.

Thirdly, Hot Tocs are haircut places but the real purpose of the ones people are writing about here is BJ. Not all Hot Toc offer BJ though. Read here for addresses. 'Om' means hug in Vietnamese so 'Cafe Om' is hugging cafes, sometimes HJ or BJ or both, sometimes not. Korean Barbershops are brothels masquerading as barbershops often visited by Koreans and found where many Koreans live and work such as Phu My Hung in D7 and in Tan Binh District near the airport. Anyone except for Vietnamese can go there.

Have fun, don't make the mistake I referred to above.

JD

[Digits]

Hi.

I have been in BKK for a couple of moths now, and later this month, I will be heading to HMC for a week. I am very familiar with the BKK scene, but this will be my first time in HMC.

So I have "RTFF" going back a few months, including Wendella's reports which I have found very informative. However, I have come across many abbreviations and references which I am not 100% sure about: BJ Bars are straight forward and I expect not dissimilar to BKK's. Others I have only tried to deduce what they are, such as OM cafes, Hot Toks, Korean barbershops, etc. Is there a post somewhere in the Vietnam forum that someone could point me to which describes these? Otherwise, could someone (when they have nothing better to do) provide some description of these establishments and what one should expect there?

Thanks in advance!

Digits

[ScubaBum]

Thank you again GreenBud. I would like to go back to PP. I was there last year the day after all those poor people died on the bridge. A lot of the bars were closed and even though I got a beauty out of Sharkies, everything was very toned down as it was a very sad time for PP.

In PP, there were a few streets that had beautiful 18-20 year olds sitting outside at tables that I would like to see if they are on the program or just offering a drinking companion.

Thanks again.

[GreenBud]

Do you think it would be easy to get to Sihanoukville from HCM? I have a week before I plan on returning to Pattaya.

Yes, very easy.

The HCM to Phnom Penh route is an established route for the tourist bus; it will be cheap and convenient; take the Mekong Express. Then there are many buses from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville; you can also take private or shared taxis from Phnom Penh.

There seems to be more of a direct route, but that path is not established. You might have to do it independently. Travelfish poster said that the direct path is "grueling".

See following for more info: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntre...readID=1718240

You should be able to do that route in one day via tourist buses. Mekong Express according to this site will sell you a ticket for that route: http://www.canbypublications.com/cambodia/buses.htm#SR-HCMC

I just wonder if the bus in Phnom Penh will wait for you if that bus from HCM is late. You can also stay in Phnom Penh for 1 day and explore; the city has a few sites that are decent.

You can also go overland from Sihanoukville to Pattaya. See travelfish.org and talesofasia.com for detailed info.

[ScubaBum]

GreenBud-thanks for the info. One more please: Do you think it would be easy to get to Sihanoukville from HCM? I have a week before I plan on returning to Pattaya. Thanks again.

[Theheinz]

There are no "dancing sessions" in the Rex Hotel at weekends. There are NO "sophisticated" girls in Vietnam.

JD

Mr. Johndao.

It is an honor to be in the thread with you. A few friends and I from the US will be in Vietnam soon, we will be going to a few cities, HCMC, Nha Trang and Hoi An. Do you have any specific hotels you could recommend that are near the action or are over night friendly?

[GreenBud]

Hi guys. I'm arriving next Friday night in SGN at 10:15pm. What is the best way to get to district 1 and what should a taxi cost? Can I pay with American $?

I haven't been to the international terminal for several years. It should be the same as the domestic terminal.

The best way is to take the taxi to District 1.

Do not take the taxis in the taxi stand. Those probably have rip-off meters.

Walk to the parking lot in front of the terminal. Go to either the Vina Sun or Mai Linh taxi stands. Only / always take those taxis in Saigon. Other taxis have rip off meters.

When Vina Sun or Mai Linh taxis drop off customers at the airport, they aren't allowed to pick up new customers at the drop off point. They all go to the parking lot and wait for the new customers. The cost is the same; this system just makes everything orderly. The sedans are slightly cheaper than the crossover taxis.

Years ago, all taxis ripped you off at the airport. Vina Sun and Mai Linh are large companies that won't allow rip-offs (those commies are learning). The sign in the Vina Sun taxi says to call their office if the taxi driver attempts to charge you more than the meter. Actually, most Vina Sun taxis have automatic meters with sensors where it turns on automatically.

The taxi to District 1 should cost around 100K dong. The US dollar is accepted everywhere in Saigon; Vietnam has a dual currency system.

Only minor rip-off will be that some taxi drivers will attempt to charge you the parking fee when both entering and exiting the airport. My guess is that only the entering customer should pay; I think it was 10K dong.

[ScubaBum]

Hi guys. I'm arriving next Friday night in SGN at 10:15pm. What is the best way to get to district 1 and what should a taxi cost? Can I pay with American $?

Anyone there want to have a drink?

Thanks

[Johndao]

- Don't worry, you are right in the center of everything.

- I have been during the last ten years a user of the delights of Sai Gon. I heard that there are dancing cessions in the hotel during week-ends, but I never dared to try, because a little shy of my age, which is stupid of me, because VN girls don't care; anyway, I guess that the girls are a bit sophisticated / expensive there. Whatever you do, if you get a drink on the terrace with a girl, it's a real moment of pleasure with a wonderful sight.

- If you look backwards in this forum, you will get real good information from Wendella, Sudsoz, JD and others.

Dirty old man

There are no "dancing sessions" in the Rex Hotel at weekends. There are NO "sophisticated" girls in Vietnam.

JD

[DirtyOldMan]

I been travel to HCMC and will stay at Rex Hotel. This was 1st trip for me to HCMC and seeking some help info did Nearby have any massage spa or some good place for pick girl? I don't mind for 1 short or over also can.

- Don't worry, you are right in the center of everything.

- I have been during the last ten years a user of the delights of Sai Gon. I heard that there are dancing cessions in the hotel during week-ends, but I never dared to try, because a little shy of my age, which is stupid of me, because VN girls don't care; anyway, I guess that the girls are a bit sophisticated / expensive there. Whatever you do, if you get a drink on the terrace with a girl, it's a real moment of pleasure with a wonderful sight.

- If you look backwards in this forum, you will get real good information from Wendella, Sudsoz, JD and others.

Dirty old man

[Iching]

Males in Vietnam and (I think) some other parts of SE Asia hold the view that there is bad karma associated with a shaved pussy and as a result any 'regular' gals do not shave although they do trim and keep it neat.

The outcome from this is that if you encounter a Vietnamese gal in Vietnam or elsewhere who is shaved then that is a clear indication that they are on the game and regularly servicing foreigners. Combine this with a lot of jewellery and makeup and it spells professional and I avoid.

And riding motorbikes.